Chocolate Brownie Coconut Peeps Bars

This layered bar has a chocolate brownie base, a layer of sweet coconut, a white chocolate topping, and plenty of Peeps and sprinkles. Whether making for Easter or just a spring celebration, these Peeps bars are sure to delight!

Is this the time of year where we have our annual discussion about why Peeps hatred is entirely unwarranted? Because I am SO READY FOR YOU. Bring it on. All your Peeps vitriol, I want it now. Give it your best shot; your most rehearsed arguments. Because… Come on, people. Peeps are literally marshmallows covered in sugar. How is it possible to have so much hatred toward them??? Unless you have a problem with marshmallows (which, fine, but I think we need to have a whole other discussion), I just don’t understand how you can be so hateful toward Peeps. They’re fun and they’re happy (aside from the fact that they don’t have mouths… hmmm would they be cuter or creepier with smiles??) and they come in all kinds of colors these days. To be honest, it’s actually difficult to create recipes using Peeps because they are so delicious and perfect on their own. And I hate to melt them down or smoosh them between graham crackers or anything that would be considered cruel treatment to Peeps (can we get PETP up in here?). But when placed gently on top of chocolate brownie coconut bars, they give the perfect added Easter/spring touch.

Yeah, if you’re a Peeps hater, you can easily make these brownie coconut bars without adding the adorable little bunny on top. But first, I’m gonna need you to explain your Peeps hostility to me. Maybe this can be the year we make amends and all just get along? #PeepsOnEarth, y’all.

These bars involve three layers, but all are SUPER easy. The first is just a basic chocolate brownie that gets baked in the oven as brownies do. The second is simply shredded coconut mixed with condensed milk and layered over the brownie. It needs to chill in the fridge for a bit. And then the third is melted white chocolate tinted with a little food coloring if you’d like. Once you pour the melted chocolate on, you pop on the Peeps and sprinkle on the sprinkles and let the chocolate harden.

Then you slice the bars up, using the Peeps as guidelines and dig in. This is the perfect size layered bar for me… It’s substantial, but not so huge that it’s difficult to eat. I mean, aside from the added height from the Peep.

I’m a huge coconut fan and believe we’ve discussed my love for Mounds bars in the past. These remind me a little bit of a Mounds bar, but even better since there’s brownie involved. I guess I’d have to compare them more to an almond joy… Except with a Peep instead of an almond. Can Peeps Joy be a thing? If not as a dessert, than certainly as an emotion.

In addition to making Peeps Joy a thing, I’m also going to make the hashtag #PeepsOnEarth a thing. Please help me. I feel like this is very important. At least to the future of my happiness.

Coconut is also super spring-y to me and now that we’re in April, I think we can all mostly breathe a sigh of relief that we made it through winter. Congrats, everyone!! That is reason enough to celebrate with these delightful little bars. Or just a package full of Peeps if that’s more your speed (I vote for both).

Happy spring and happy April and happy season of the Peeps! Please enjoy it while it lasts. Though I know, I know… there are pretty much Peeps for every holiday now. Even I admit that’s overkill and I prefer to save my Peeps Joy for this time of year. Though I probably wouldn’t ever turn one down if offered.

If you hate Peeps, please tell me why!! If you love them, please help me spread some #PeepsOnEarth!

Also, if you hate Peeps, you might still be able to enjoy them with these Peeps Sandwich Cookies I made a couple years ago! No actual Peeps involved, but all the cuteness is still there.

This layered bar has a chocolate brownie base, a layer of sweet coconut, a white chocolate topping, and plenty of Peeps and sprinkles. Whether making for Easter or just a spring celebration, these Peeps bars are sure to delight!

Author: We are not Martha

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 16 servings

Ingredients

Chocolate Brownie Base:

¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter

2 cups granulated sugar

3 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 1/14 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup cocoa powder

½ tsp salt

Coconut Layer:

3 cups shredded coconut

1 14.5-oz. can condensed milk

White Chocolate Topping:

12 oz. white chocolate chips

2 drops pink food coloring

16 Marshmallow Peeps

Sprinkles

Instructions

Chocolate Brownie Base:

Butter or spray with cooking oil a 9x13 dish and pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together melted butter and granulated sugar until well blended.

Stir in eggs and vanilla.

Add in flour, cocoa powder, and salt and mix until just combined, taking care not to over-mix.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 24-27 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into brownies comes out clean.

Place pan on wired rack and let cool to room temperature.

Coconut Layer:

In a large bowl, mix together shredded coconut and condensed milk until well combined

Pour mixture over over brownie layer and place pan in fridge for at least 2 hours to chill coconut layer.

White Chocolate Topping:

Add white chocolate chips to the top pan of a double broiler or to a heat-proof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water.

I thought everyone loved Peeps! Well, except for me, but that’s only because I don’t like marshmallows (only in rice krispie treats or cereal haha). But if I did, I would be ALL over peeps! My husband, on the other hand, LOVES them, so I must make these brownies, and soon. What a fun idea!

What? I’ve never heard of anyone not liking peeps! They are so cute and colourful – what’s not to love?? These bars are absolutely adorable!! So much flavour going on with the brownie, the coconut and the topping with the little peep. My niece and nephew would gobble this up in a heartbeat 🙂

I think they’d definitely be creepier with smiles. But no less delicious :). The Peeps hater is a strange being for sure! These brownies look phenomenal, Sues. I love everything going on in these beauties!

I am not a peeps lover however I love everything else about these brownies! I would just take off my peep and give it to all the other peeps lovers in the family. Not a huge marshmallow fan….would just rather use my calories for sour candy, caramel or chocolate.

LMAO!!! I never thought of it until you mentioned it, but people DO have some strong opinions about Peeps, huh?! I actually don’t really even like marshmallows (but I don’t hate them), but peeps?! I LOVE! They are just so dayum fun! And hello sugar coating! Gimme that! 😉 Naturally I am loving these bars!!!! SO festive and fun, girlfriend! Just perfect for Easter! Cheers! <3